Applying for scholarships and bursaries

Academic scholarships are awarded to the most able children each year. In most cases, schools allocate their academic scholarships based on the results of their entrance exam, with the awards going to those who get the highest marks. Pupils aren’t usually expected to take a separate exam to assess whether they’re eligible for an academic scholarship.

If, however, your child is applying for a scholarship based on their aptitude in a certain subject, it’s normal for them to have to prove their talents. This could be by taking an additional test in a specific subject, such as maths, auditioning in music or acting, demonstrating their ability on the cricket pitch or in the swimming pool, and so on.

To apply for a bursary, you’ll need to prove your financial need. As well as providing evidence of your income, you may have to give details of your assets, other dependent family members, and even your spending habits, such as holidays. This means that although bursaries are means-tested, awarding them is not always straightforward: a family with a higher income but more outgoings may qualify over a family with a lower income, for example.

Some schools automatically allocate bursaries to the most needy children from every intake, but it’s more usual to have to apply for them. Bear in mind that many schools offer bursaries only to the most able children, so if you’re in need of financial assistance but your child’s entrance exam marks put them in the lower portion of their cohort, you may not get anything.

A small number of bursaries and scholarships are awarded not by the schools themselves, but by the Government or another independent organisation. For example, the Music and Dance Scheme funds specialist training for gifted musicians and dancers at a handful of selected schools.

Unfortunately, there’s no comprehensive central list of what bursaries and scholarships are available from which schools. If you’d like your child to be considered for a financial award, the best place to start is generally to ask the schools themselves about their offering.

The Good Schools Guide’s Scholarships and Bursaries Service offers a search service tailored to your needs. There is a fee for this – in the region of £200 to £300 – but this could be a drop in the ocean compared to how much you might be awarded. 

The Government’s website lists schools that participate in the Music and Dance Scheme. 

The Choir Schools Association provides information on the financial help that may be available with fees at cathedral or collegiate choir schools. 

The Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools lists schools that offer bursaries or discounts to children from armed forces families. 

Tatler publishes an annual guide to financial assistance available at the schools listed in the Tatler Schools Guide. 

The Independent Schools Council has a search facility to help you find scholarships and bursaries awarded by its members. 

The Independent Schools of the British Isles website has a function that allows you to search schools by scholarship. 

The Educational Trusts’ Forum has a list of trusts that support vulnerable children with educational grants. 

Be prepared to think outside the box, too. Some scholarships and bursaries are reserved for children in very specific circumstances: these include awards for children of divorced parents, children whose parents who work in a particular trade or profession (from pub landlords to chemists), children from a specific geographical area, and those with a talent for playing bagpipes! The best way to find out about such esoteric awards is to contact your potential schools directly.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that once you’ve been awarded a scholarship or bursary, your child is sorted for the duration of their education. If your child receives a bursary, expect to have to go through the means-testing process on an annual basis. If your circumstances change, the award could be reduced or even withdrawn entirely, although you’ll be given fair notice of any changes. Your child will also be expected to work hard enough to justify their place at the school.

Children who receive scholarships are usually expected to continue to demonstrate that they’re deserving of the award, whether that’s by excelling academically, developing their talent for music, art or drama, or earning points on the sports field. If your child’s effort or performance drops, they may lose their award.

Get in there early. You need to find out about academic scholarships a good two years in advance to give yourselves time to prepare your child to do their best in the entrance exam.

Get your paperwork in order if you’re applying for a bursary: you may need to provide proof of everything from your annual income and share dividends to your monthly car payments. Be scrupulously honest about all the details you’re asked to provide.

Try to find out how scholarships have been awarded in the past. For example, if your child is applying for a music scholarship, it may be better for them to focus on passing their Grade 5 instrumental exam with distinction, than to push them to get a higher grade with weaker results.

Be realistic about your child’s chances. They may be in the top 10 per cent of their class at state primary school, but they’ll be up against others who are equally bright, or even brighter (not to mention those who have been painstakingly tutored). Approach all assessments with a ‘let’s give it a go’ attitude, and avoid putting too much pressure on your child.

Don’t give up. If your child is turned down for a bursary or scholarship at the age of 11 but you still have dreams of them attending a private school, try again a few years later: scholarships and bursaries for sixth form are often less hotly contested.

Finally, make sure you have a Plan B. There are a number of charitable trusts that help out families who find themselves in unexpected financial hardship, but always consider what you’d do if your child’s scholarship or bursary was taken away.